Third Grade News from Mrs. C
Jan. 18-21st
Tidbits From the Teacher
Good Day Everyone!
It's another fine week around the Caldwell Classroom and my little bees are as busy as usual.
We started exploring this week with Google Classrooms and will transition you into using this app for homework NEXT WEEK. That means that homework is going to change in looks and expectations. There are several reasons for this so check out below to find out more information about that.
**Be sure and look at the class wish list too!
Thank you!!
New Homework Format and Expectations
I am already seeing more accountability in daily math talks and work! I think this is going to be very beneficial to everyone once we learn the new system!!
Wish List
-we need your clean, mismatched socks to use as erasers for our dry erase boards
Dates to Remember
Jan. 18th: MLK holiday
Jan. 19th: Math DCA over geometry
Jan. 21st: Awards Assembly 9:15-10 in the cafeteria
Jan. 22nd: 3rd-5th grade Friday Assembly AND Science Fair Projects are due (optional work) AND Bluebonnet Book lists are due (optional)
Jan. 25th: Science Fair
Feb. 3rd: Early Release
What We're Studying and Learning...
Reading-
We are learning about traditional tales, author's purpose, and themes. We'll be reading fables and figuring out the morals, looking at folktales & fairy tales to find the theme. This week we'll start reading more traditional tales independently and looking for themes, purpose, and evidence of a particular type of tale (tall, mythological, fairy, or fable).
We started practicing reading STAAR-like passages this week to wrap our minds around the strategies we'll need to use in order to answer questions from the passages. Everyone agrees that it's not how we usually read and find out information but we're learning as we go. I introduced a rubric to the group that will help us remember our expectations.
Writing-
We tried a new strategy for thinking of things to write about when we aren't sure of what to write. It's called "Start with Anything and let it lead to Something." We looked around the room until our minds settled on an object that made us think about things from our own lives or experiences. Then we wrote.
We'll continue to study fiction writing and writers while we create stories of our own.
Math-
Our geometry DCA will be on Tuesday. We have tests on Mondays and Tuesdays so that students have some familiarity with this due to STAAR tests being on Monday and Tuesday this year.
Our next unit will be about equivalent fractions. We'll use area models and linear models to compare two fractions to decide if one has more (>), less (<), or the same (=).
Science-
We are going to begin studying food chains next! We'll look at producers and consumers within the food chains. We'll also talk about predators and use our knowledge of environments to discuss how animals protect themselves from predators.
Social Studies-
Students will be using multiple resources to finish researching their famous person who helped change or create a community. By the end of the week, we'll share our research about the famous person with the class. Everyone will take notes while one person presents.